Dear Councillors,

RE: Space for off-leash dog park in the Oldis Garden and Bill Lawry Oval Precinct

Thank you for considering this appeal. I write to you on behalf of a lot of dog owners and their children (mostly under 12 years of age) who live within 1 km radius of the above precincts.

Bill Lawry Oval was a blessing for all of us over the last 2 years, when Melbourne was predominantly in lockdown, as we could take our dogs and enjoy some freedom by watching them run and play with other dogs whilst the owners maintained respectful COVID safe distances. The kids would often come with their dogs and run along with them and have a play. This space has formed good friendships and helped support the mental health and wellbeing of nearly 20-30 dogs, their owners and families, it is reflected in the number of signatories to this letter.

We have, with admiration and concern, seen a recent proposal of upgrading the Oval. We are thrilled to have a first-class sports precinct close to our homes but are concerned about access for us, our children and dogs to this public precinct; and are extremely worried about it’s impact on the traffic,parking and on the environment.

Most of us are families with young children and with essential (healthcare) workers who have always strived to support local community and make Darebin a nice place to call home. We would, respectfully, like the Council to engage with us to hear our concerns and discuss possible solutions to address them.

Our appeal is for Council to designate an adequate space in these precincts that is fenced and safe for our dogs and children to run around without the fear of being hit by a cricket ball or bump into a player.